Beaver Dam man charged with abusing teenage girl

TERRI PEDERSON tpederson@wiscnews.comNovember 18, 2018

JUNEAU — A 24-year-old Beaver Dam man made his initial appearance in court Friday accused of abusing and having sex with a 17-year-old girl.

Albert L. Gonzales is charged with physical abuse of a child — intentionally causing bodily harm, and sexual intercourse with a child. He will face up to six years and nine months in prison and $20,000 in fines if convicted of the charges.

Gonzales appeared before Dodge County Circuit Court Commissioner Steven Seim. Gonzales was given a $5,000 cash bond with conditions that he will not have any direct or indirect contact or communication with the victim and no contact with any other minor female.

According to the criminal complaint, a Dodge County sheriff’s deputy responded to the home that Gonzales shared with the girl Wednesday after dispatch received an anonymous report that he had been abusing the girl.

The girl was at home at the time and allegedly said that Gonzales had struck her and bit her while they were arguing earlier in the day. The physical abuse started while they were driving down Highway 151 and continued when they got to the apartment that they shared.

According to the criminal complaint, the girl told the deputy that she had met Gonzales on social media in January and he went to her home in Michigan to pick her up in May. The girl said her parents were aware she had moved to Wisconsin with Gonzales.

Deputies also talked to Gonzales, who said he was attempting to restrain the girl when she said she wanted to get out of the car while they were driving on Highway 151. According to the criminal complaint, Gonzales said he was aware that the girl was 17, but there were statutes in Michigan allowing her to leave home at that age.

The girl’s mother was contacted and said she did want her daughter home, but was told by her local law enforcement that she couldn’t do anything about her daughter leaving. Dodge County juvenile protection services were contacted to assist.